Board Report #00-9

Wisconsin State Student Financial Aid Data for 1998-1999

The series of exhibits in this Board Report present 1998-99 academic year need based and non-need
based student financial aid information for Wisconsin resident undergraduates. the colleges and
universities within the three different Wisconsin Higher Education Sectors provided the majority of
the information reflected in these exhibits. The three sectors of colleges and universities include
the Independent Colleges and Universities, The University of Wisconsin System, and the Wisconsin
Technical College System. The first grouping of exhibits reflects all students from all sectors who
receive need based assistance. The second, third, and fourth groupings show the same information as
the first except that each is specific to a sector of schools. The last two groupings incorporate
the non-need based assistance received by students who also receive need based assistance.

EXHIBITS A-H (Need Based Assistance - All Sectors)
These exhibits show the number of student financial aid recipients, total cost of education, total
expected family contribution, total aid received by type and source along with total unmet need. As
the data indicates, the number of aid recipients rose slightly (3%) in 1998-99. The average expected
family contribution rose (13.3%) from the prior year as did the cost of education (3.6%). Total
need-based financial aid decreased by 2.6%. This is due, in large part, to a change in the way data
was collected. Through a re-definition of what constitutes need based and non-need based aid, most
Institutional, Private and Other Assistance were excluded from the need based information sections
and are now included in the non-need based information sections. This change was done to more
accurately reflect how the institutions treat and award these types of aid. Loans continue to be the
primary type of assistance students relied on in 1998-99, accounting for 48.39% of all need based
aid. However, this percentage is a very slight decline over 1997-98. In terms of need based aid
sources, state funded assistance increased, as did federally funded aid. The primary source of
assistance in 1998-99 was, as it has been in the past, federally funded aid.

EXHIBITS I-L (Need Based Assistance - Independent Colleges and Universities)
The Independent College and University data for 1998-99 in some areas reflects different trends when
compared to the previous year. The number of recipients increased by 1.4%. The cost increased by
2.5%. The family contribution increased by 22%. Because of the large increase in expected family
contribution the total amount of unmet need dropped by 9.4%. The total amount of need-based aid
fell by 4.2%. This is due to the re-definition of need based vs. non-need based aid and the
increase in expected family contribution. The primary type of assistance continues to come in the
form of grant assistance for students attending Independent Colleges and Universities. The majority
of assistance is funded by the federal government, but to a much lesser extent compared to all
sectors combined.

EXHIBITS M-P (Need Based Assistance - University of Wisconsin System)
The average cost of education (6.1%) and family contribution increased (10.7%) for students
attending schools witin the University of Wisconsin System. The number of recipients increased by
4.9%, as did the financial need (4%) in 1998-99 compared to 1997-98. as in the other sectors, the
total of need based aid decreased due to the re-definition of need based vs. non-need based aid. The
great majority of funds in 1998-99 continue to come from loan sources and from programs funded by
the federal government.

EXHIBITS Q-T (Need Based Assistance - Wisconsin Technical College System)
The number of recipients increased (1.1%) within the Wisconsin Technical College System. The cost of
education (1%) and expected family contribution (7.3%) increased. The total need (-2.4%) and the
total unmet need (-5.1%) decreased. This decrease is primarily due to the increase in expected
family contribution. The average financial assistance decreased due primarily to the exclusion of
non need based assistance in this section of the report. There is now a section specifically
dedicated to non need based assistance. Just over half of assistance awarded was funded by grants.
The great majority of aid awarded to students attending Wisconsin Technical Colleges was federally
funded.

EXHIBITS U-X (Non Need Based Assistance - All Sectors Combined and
Each Individual Sector)
This identifies the non-need-based assistance received by the students reported in the previous
sections of this report. The first page combines all three sectors. The following three pages shows
a breakdown by sector. As explained above, there is a substantial increase (34% in the number of
awards and 26% in the total dollars) in the reporting of non-need based assistance due to the
re-definition of the term this year.

EXHIBITS Y-Z (Need Based and Non Need Based Assistance Combined - All Sectors)
This section combines both the need based and the non-need based assistance information. How
students finance the total cost of education is provided as is the source and type of need based and
non-need based assistance. The majority of the cost of education is met by assistance that is based
on financial need. Note that 8.24% of the total cost of education is met by unknown sources. This is
down from 10.95% in 1997-98. The majority of need based and non-need based assistance combined is
funded by federal loan assistance. Please keep in mind that, in some instances, certain programs,
for example parental loans or unsubsidized Stafford Loans, substitute for familt contribution.